James De La Vega
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James De La Vega is an artist who lives and works in New York City's Spanish Harlem (aka East Harlem/El Barrio); he has a store on St. Mark's Place in the East Village. He is known primarily for his murals and the chalk drawings he creates on public surfaces such as sidewalks. His murals can be found all over East Harlem, and his chalk drawings may show up anywhere in the city. His street drawings, almost always chalk, are usually accompanied by aphoristic messages such as "Become Your Dream." Legally, much of his work qualifies as graffiti, although many put them in a separate genre.
De La Vega's appreciation for his Puerto Rican heritage is also evident in much of his work, as are the tensions over the state of his neighborhood. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, gentrification began creeping north of 96th Street, the traditional border between East Harlem and the Upper East Side. Several of De La Vega's works take note of this cultural incursion. In a mural and in print, he writes, "Don't think we haven't noticed the 96th Street border moving north."
The public and counter-cultural nature of some of his work has gotten him into trouble with the law on more than one occasion. In July 2003, De La Vega was charged with vandalism for a mural he painted on a blank wall in the Bronx. He was offered one year's probation in exchange for a guilty plea, but that would have required him to state that his intent was to "damage" property. He refused to say this. As a result, in June 2004, he faced trial for the offense, and a judge found him guilty. After apologizing to the building's owner, De La Vega was sentenced to 50 hours of community service(NYT Oct 2004).
But police are not the only people disturbed by De La Vega's work. Some of his opponents relentlessly deface even his most elaborate murals.
De La Vega used to maintain a studio and small store (which sells his art work and El Barrio-themed t-shirts of his own design) on 104th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, but he moved it in 2005 to the East Village on St. Marks place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A.
In the summer of 2004, De La Vega began organizing a write-in campaign for state senator, representing East Harlem and the Bronx. He re-painted the awning of his studio to reflect this effort, but, oddly, also repainted the steel shutters over his studio to honor Olga Mendez, his chief opponent in the race.
De La Vega often paints the steel shutters in the front of his studio to express his opinion, inform, provoke or react to current events. His most recent painting depicted mayoral hopeful Fernando Ferrer. It was soon painted over with a commentary and criticism of the candidate.
De La Vega, an Ivy League educated former teacher, is regarded in his community as a philosopher, poet, artist, and inspiration. His work has been shown at the Cooper Hewitt and installations can be seen in and on businesses in his neighborhood.
De La Vega maintained a studio and small store (which sold his art work and El Barrio-themed t-shirts of his own design) on 104th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. Even his clothing line, BUNGIE, (Bold, Uncompromising,Generous, Inspirational and Extraordinary), has the capacity to inspire and provoke. De La Vega's store, The Fishbowl, became a victim of the same forces of change (gentrification) impacting Spanish Harlem. Hope Community Inc., the landlord of the building in which the store was located, replaced the flower shop on the corner and De La Vega's store.
